First non-breeding/adult non-breeding. Generally similar to Little Stint but rather more uniform and paler grey above. Has dark area from lores through eye to ear-coverts. Lacks breast band. First non-breeding retains juvenile wing-coverts; those of adult are greyer and less worn.

Adult breeding. Very distinctive, with whitish or dull red supercilium behind eye (depending on progress of moult or wear); face, throat and upper breast brick-red, bordered with a necklace of small black spots across upper breast. Broad grey or rusty fringes to black-centred upper scapulars and some tertials; indistinct mantle-V.